KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) is illegal as safety and security issues fall under the purview of the federal government, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The home minister said the group’s formation was not passed in Parliament, unlike the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), which was formed under the Volunteers Corps Act 2012.

He said as such, Rela need not be registered under the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

“The PPS was also not passed in the Penang state assembly, according to records,” Ahmad Zahid said in Parliament yesterday, replying to a question by DAP’s Tanjung MP Ng Wei Aik.

Ng asked the minister to state whether Rela, Neighbourhood Watch and Community Policing teams were registered with the RoS.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Bagan Datoh MP, claimed there were PPS members involved in criminal cases, with police reports lodged against them, including for assault and stopping vehicles.

“Many are involved in criminal cases. We have received reports of them punching, kicking, turning over tables.

“It also seems like they want to take over the role of the police,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said under the National Key Result Areas in combating crime, Rela has been given the role of preventing crime and maintaining peace and harmony.

“Similarly, the Volunteer Patrol Scheme also need not be registered as it is a government agency and receive its powers from the Rukun Tetangga Act,” he said.

In a follow-up question, Ng said if the same logic was applied, then the PPS, too, need not be registered under the RoS as it was formed under the state government, to which the minister reiterated that defence and security matters came under the federal government.

“If any state government wants to take over the role of the federal government, it would be outside the law. I don’t think the state wants to form the ‘Royal Penang Navy’, for example,” said the home minister. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 17, 2014.